Soffit clip



March 5, 1935. w. J, CARROLL.

SOFFIT CLIP Filed Dec. v27. 1933 INVENTOR A W/LL/AM J.' CARRO/.L "M e ATroRl Patented Mar. 5, 1935.

UNITED STATES SOFFIT CLIP William J. Carroll, West Hempstead, Long Island,

N. Y., assigner to Sylgab Steel & Wire Corporation, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of New York Applicationnember 27, 193s, serial No. 704,065`

12 claims. (ci. 72109 This Vinvention relates to 'improvements in soft clips, that is, the reenforcements or clips which hold the soit or under horizontal portion of the oementitious or other material surrounding a beam :or girder up against the lower ilange thereof, but in spaced relation thereto.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide sot clips which are universally adaptable to structural beams of various flanged widths, without decreasing the metal incorporated in a given area and so constructed and arranged that only one size clip need be stocked and Which,.as manufactured, is compact in shipment. The present invention seeks to provide a softr clip of this charracter in which the amount of material going to make up the same is reduced over clips heretofore known and one which may be made ready to use in a simple manner and without cutting or severing any of the parts of the clip.

In accordance with the invention, a plurality of reversely bent or hair-pin shaped sections oi preferably round and slightly elastic wire stock `are secured together ina series so that the respe'ctivel arms are in prolongation of one another. `The bent portions of adjacent wires in the series are secured together, as by welding, and the free ends of adjacent wires in the series are also joined together. l One pair of `free ends at each joint formed thereby is provided with 'oppositely disposed laterally extending 'ilange engaging hook portions embodying spacing portions, convenient- `1y helical loops, which position the reenforcement wires a predetermined distance from the bottom of the flange. In the Vpreferred embodiment, the arms Vof the wire are normally substantially parallel and straight, the ends of those arms not provided with hook portions being deflected outwardly slightly to cross the ends of the adjacent arms and facilitate welding. To adjust the clips to the beam, the spacing loops are drawn apart thus forming each adjacent pair of sections into substantially diamond shape and, when the ends of the hook portions have been slipped over a beam and bent into engagement therewith-the inherent elasticity of the wires draws the loops'together and tightly grips the beam. There is, therefore, in effect, two horizontal parallel runner wires formed by the successive arms and yet these runner wires are united at intervals in such ffashion that no cuttingr of interconnecting portions s necessary to prepare the clips for use, the joints permitting expansion of the structure to space the supporting hooks for engagement with axij'fldesiedA Width of flan'ge, within limits.

These and other objects of the invention and the means for their attainment will-bemore=ap parent from'the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing illustrating one embodiment by-which the invention may be realized and in which:

Figure 1 is a View, in plan, showing thesflit clip of this inventionthe parts being contracted 'to storage or shipping dimensions, theiso'fiit clip being manufactured in this shapeggand Y e Figure 2 is a perspective view showing afrag'vof any length and any number of -soft clips `axed thereto as may be necessary to'supp'o'rt side of the beam.

the soflit along the entire length of -\the' under- In the illustrated embodiment, thersfiitelip of this invention has been illustratedas composed of a series of eight reversely--bent `sec'tidnsv'oi round wire stock, but it will be obvious as the-,description proceeds that any number' of` reversely 'bent wires may be used to make up a'singlejunit to vmeet particular situations. The Vwirf'esare-lindicatedgenerally at 7,8, 9, 10, 11,112,113 and 14.

Referring first to Figure 1, two identical-reversely bent wire sections 10 and l1 are illustrated comprising generally the arms land 17 'joined aty one end by the bent portion 18.' Thecarms .116 and 17 are straight and substantially parallell and the two bent portions overlap and are secured together, as by welding, to form a joint which will `withstand the strain imposed thereonlwhen the arms 16 and 17 are separated; Thearmswl and 17 are, respectively, in prolongation ofone another. At their extremities, the arms-16 and 17 are bent laterally, outwardly, as at-l9,`in the f same plane as the arms 16 and 17 and the'extremities of the laterally extending..portion19l carry spacing means, conveniently being formed into a helix, preferably of one turn, as indicated at 20, leaving a free upwardly extendingv endf21,

Figure 2, which may, if desired, be bentlaterally and inwardly, as at 22, in parallel 'relationship i to the portion 19. The ends 22 are adapted,as will be understood, to overlie the upper sur-face of the flange 6, but are usually not bentr inwardly during manufacture, as will be,understood,but, as shown in Figure l, form a prolongationlof `'the part 21 and are bent inwardly over the top of the flange when the soft clip is installed. The ends 21, 22 form supporting hook portions which, when bent over the flange as in Figure 2, comprise supporting hooks.

The two mid sections 10 and 11 of reversely bent wires 16 and 19, secured in the manner described, form what may be considered the central section 10-11 of the sofflt clip. To the ends 19 substantially at the point where the arms 16 and 17 are bent to form their ends 19, there are se-` cured, respectively, the free ends of reversely bent wires 9 and 12 comprising the straight and substantially parallel arms 24 and 25 joined by the bent portion 26. The extremities of the arms 24 and 25 are conveniently bent or curved outwardly, as at 27, to cross or overlie the extremities of the arms 16 and 17 to facilitate manufacture. Thus the curved ends 27 are readily positioned over some part of the joint formed by, say, the

portions 17 and 19 and rapid and accurate fastening, as by welding, is possible. These arms 24 and 25 are substantially in prolongation of the arms 16 and 17.

To each of the wire sections 24, 25, there is se cured a hook carrying section 8 and 13 similar in every detail to the sections 10 and 11 and like reference characters are affixed thereto. Here again, the arms 16 and 17 of sections 8 and 13 are parallel and in prolongation of the arms 16, 24 and 17, 25, respectively.

Reversely bent end wires 7 and 14 are secured respectively to the sections 8 and 13. These end wires 7 and 14 are similar in every respect to the wires 9 and 12 and similar reference characters are affixed. The'arms of these wires are again in prolongation of the arms to which they are afxed.

It will thus be seen that the respective arms 16 and 24 lie in substantial prolongation of one another as do also the arms 17 and 25. The two 4sets form, in effect, two runner wires bridged at intervals by joints comprising the overlapping bent portions 18, 18 and 18, 26, while the joints 19, 27 at the supporting hooks 21, 22 are independent of one another, so that when the somt clip is to be affixed to the lower flange 6 of Va beam 5 6, it is only necessary to place the fingers within the loops 20 and draw the supporting hooks laterally away from one another to sepa- 4rate the hooks to correspond to the width of a flange.

In thus adjusting the loops 20 to the edge of the beam, the wires 11, 17 and 24, 25 are bent outwardly as the sides of a diamond and, being slightly elastic tend to draw the loops together and thereby draw the ends 21, 22 against the side of the flange, the loops 20 being positioned beneath the flange so as to space the reenforcing portions 16, 17 and 24, 25 a predetermined distance below the flange, the ends 22 being then bent inwardly, if not already so bent, to hold the clips in position. They are thus held there securely.

The' hook members 19-22 being thus integral and in prolongation with the longitudinally extending wres 16, 17, form an extremely rugged construction and the joints 18-18 and 18-26 being integral with the respective arms, are also stronger than the tie rods heretofore proposed. The two U-shaped ends, say 18, 18, where the respective spaced arms are joined together, form a joint connecting the composite runner wires. Moreover less material is required in this soiiit clip than in any previous construction.

Various modifications 'will occur to those skilled in the art in the composition, configuration and disposition of the component elements going to make up the invention as a whole as well as in the number and disposition of the units and their relation to one another and no limitation is intended by the phraseology of the foregoing description or illustrations in the accompanying drawing.

.What is claimed is:-

' 1. A sofiit clip comprising a reversely bent wire having straight arms, and a second reversely bent wire having straight arms formed at their ends with supporting hook portions, respectively, to engage the ange of a beam, the bent portions of the respective wires overlapping and being secured together, the arms of the respective wires extending in opposite directions.

2. A soit clip comprising a reversely bent wire, having straight arms, a second reversely bent wire having straight arms formed at their ends with supportingl hook portions and spacing means, respectively, to engage the flange of a beam, the bent portions of the respective wires overlapping and being secured together and the arms of the respective wires extending in an opposite direction.

3. A soifit yclip comprising a plurality of reversely bent portions having straight arms whereof the bent portions of adjacent wires are joined and whereof the free ends of the respective arms of adjacent wires are joined, the free ends of one pair of arms at each joint being formed with supporting hook portions, respectively, to'engage the ange of a beam.

4. A solit clip comprising a plurality of reversely bent portions having straight arms whereof the bent portions of adjacent wires are joined and whereof the free ends of the respective arms of adjacent wires are joined, the free ends of one pair of arms at each joint being formed with supporting hook portions, respectively, to engage the iiange of a beam and the free ends of the other pair of arms not provided with supporting hook portions being turned outwardly.

5. A sofiit clip comprising two reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms formed with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the flange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are joined together, a reversely bent wire having normally parallel arms whereof the ends are joined to the bent portion of each of the first named wires, and reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms formed at their A' extremities with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the flange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are secured to the bent portions of the second named wires.

6. A soiit clip comprising two reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms formed with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the flange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are joined together, a reversely bent wire having normally parallel arms whereof the ends are joined to the bent portion of each of the rst named wires and whereof the ends of the arms are turned outwardly, and reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms Y" formed at their extremities with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the flange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are secured to the bent portions of the second named wires.

Sli

7. A soiiit clip comprising two reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms formed with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the ange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are joined together, a reversely bent wire having normally parallel arms whereof the ends are joined to the bent portion of each of the first named wires, and reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms formed at their extremities with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the flange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are secured to the bent portions of the second named wires and reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms whereof the ends are secured to the laterally extending hook portions of the third named wires, respectively.

8. A soffit clip comprising two reverseljr bent wires having normally parallel arms formed with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the ange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are joined together, a reversely bent wire having normally parallel arms whereof the ends are joined to the bent portion of each of the first named wires and whereof the ends of the arms are turned outwardly, and reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms formed at their extremities with laterally extending supporting hook portions to engage the flange of a beam and whereof the bent portions are secured to the bent portions of the second named wires and reversely bent wires having normally parallel arms whereof the ends are turned outwardly and are secured to the laterally extending hook portions of the third named wires, respectively.

9. In a somt clip, in combination, a reversely bent wire whereof the arms are straight and are formed at their respective extremities with laterally extending supporting hook portions and a reversely bent wire whereof the arms are straight v and are joined at their respective extremities to the said laterally extending hook portions, respectively.

10. In a soflit clip, in combination, a reversely bent wire whereof the arms are straight and are formed at their respective extremities with laterally extending supporting hook portions and a reversely bent wire whereof the arms are straight and whereof the ends of the respective arms are turned outwardly and are joined to the said laterally extending hook portions, respectively.

11. A soft clip comprising a reversely bent wire having straight arms, a second reversely bent wire having straight arms formed at their ends with supporting hook portions, respectively, to engage the flange of a beam, the bent portions of the respective wires overlapping and being secured together, the arms of the respective wires extending in opposite directions and a reversely bent wire having straight arms whereof the ends are joined to the arms of the first named wire.

l2. A soit clip comprising a reversely bent wire having straight arms, a second reversely bent wire having straight arms formed at their ends with supporting hook portions, respectively, to engage the flange of a beam, the bent portions of the respective wires overlapping and being secured together, the arms of the respective wires extending in opposite directions, a reversely bent wire having straight arms whereof the ends are joined to the arnisv of the rst named wire and a reversely bent wire having straight arms formed at their ends with supporting hook portions, respectively, and whereof the bent portion is secured to the bent portion of the last named wire.

WILLIAM J. CARROLL. 

